“Increasing evidence from the US, Canada and UK that the Indian authorities are hell-bent on assassinating and eliminating Sikhs on foreign soil who are peacefully campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland” – Jaspal Singh, National Press Secretary, Sikh Federation (UK).
London: In a written statement (copy available with Sikh Siyasat News) released on 22 Nov. 2023, the Sikh Federation UK said: “News has emerged in the last 24-hours that the US authorities thwarted the assassination of lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannum a leading Sikh activist campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland. It is unclear whether the FBI intervened and foiled the assassination”.
“It has been reported the US administration issued a diplomatic warning, probably in late June to the Indian government over concerns it was involved in the assassination plot. It is understood the US informed allies, like Canada and the UK of the assassination plot following the extrajudicial killing of Canadian Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil on 18 June 2023 and the mysterious death of 35-year old Avtar Singh Khanda in the UK three days earlier”.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar (L) who was assassinated in Vancouver, Canada in June and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (R) whose assassination bid on US soil was reportedly thwarted by US Authorities. India government is suspected to be behind both bids | File Photo
“This revelation and its timing give greater authority to the public accusation made in September, by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that there were “credible allegations” linking the Indian authorities to the extrajudicial killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar as he was leaving Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Surrey, BC where he was President. It also raises significant concerns about the safety and security of British Sikhs activists”, reads the statement.
“It is understood US federal prosecutors have filed a sealed indictment against at least one alleged perpetrator of the plot in a New York district court and the US justice department is debating whether to unseal the indictment and make the allegations public. What has complicated matters is one person charged in the indictment is believed to have left the US”, said Jaspal Singh, National Press Secretary, Sikh Federation (UK).
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“While India has to date rejected Canada’s claims about India’s involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil it remains silent of the attempted assassination in the US where the perpetrators have been identified”, he added.
“There is now no doubt the Five Eyes nations, including the UK must be deeply concerned with India’s pattern of unacceptable behaviour on foreign soil. The Biden administration must now accept India cannot be a trusted partner and has a very poor human rights record. The US and other nations must consider a different strategy for India, including its breakup and the emergence of friendly states, like a Sikh homeland (Khalistan) that can be trusted partners”, he said.
Bhai Dabinderjit Singh, the Principal Adviser of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “There are dozens of British Sikh activists peacefully campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland who believe they are on hit-lists and could be assassinated in the UK by agents of the Indian government.”
“There is increasing and worrying evidence emerging from the US, Canada and the UK that the Indian authorities are hell-bent on assassinating and eliminating Sikh nationalists on foreign soil as they are losing the argument.”
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“Unlike the US and Canada where the authorities have foiled assassinations, warned Sikh activists facing a threat or publicly called out India we believe the UK Government is totally neglecting the safety and security of British Sikhs activists.”
“We have raised specific concerns with UK Ministers following the mysterious death of 35-year old Avtar Singh Khanda in June who was receiving direct threats to his life. This includes the illegal activities of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) that has put out a hit-list of Sikh activists in other countries on Indian television and claimed responsibility for the killing of several Sikh activists abroad.”
“UK Ministers have written to state where British intelligence agencies and police forces, identify individuals at heightened risk they are front footed in deploying protective security.”
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“However, no British Sikh has been contacted to take precautions by the police or intelligence agencies despite individuals being put on Indian hit-lists, receiving direct threats and facing increased harassment and intimidation.”
“The official line from UK Ministers is anyone concerned for their safety should contact the police. This utterly fails to recognise the evidence and intelligence held by the British authorities on the criminal activities of Indian agents.”